Title Program Officer
Location: Kismayu
Position Status Full-time, Regular
About Mercy Corps
Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. To do this, we know our teams do their best work when they are diverse and every member feels they belong. We welcome diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be stronger and have a long-term impact.
Program / Department Summary
Mercy Corps has been a fixture in Somalia since 2005, implementing projects that target hundreds of thousands of vulnerable households. Our work focuses on improving access to basic services and overcoming vulnerabilities caused by civil conflict and natural disasters. We achieve this through interventions in four key sectors: water security, peace and governance, economic opportunity, and food security. Our programs are designed in an integrated manner, incorporating new methodologies like Emergency, DRR (Disaster Risk Reduction), and Resilience frameworks. Mercy Corps' operations in Somalia are firmly rooted in a robust framework of socio-political analysis and risk management systems, ensuring compliance with Somali Federal Government (FGS) laws, internal accountability standards, and donor requirements. Mercy Corps Somalia has over 100 field staff based in field operations in Mogadishu, Hargeisa, Kismayo, and Baidoa with programs funded by multiple donors including USAID, FCDO, SIDA, SDC, AFD, and the UN. All Mercy Corps interventions in Somalia are implemented in a conflict and gender-sensitive manner.
General Position Summary
The Program Officer will support the planning, implementation, and monitoring of activities under the IFSLS program, aimed at enhancing financial inclusion for actors in Somalia’s livestock value chain. The Program Officer will work closely with financial institutions, microfinance providers, and other stakeholders to address constraints related to product development, capacity building, gender equity, and financial literacy. The role requires strong coordination, communication, and organizational skills to ensure the successful delivery of program activities that focus on improving access to financial services for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), producer groups, women, and youth in the livestock sector. This position offers a unique opportunity to contribute to a transformative program that supports financial inclusion and economic growth in Somalia’s livestock sector. The successful candidate will help ensure the smooth execution of the IFSLS program, empowering MSMEs and underserved communities to access and benefit from tailored financial products and services.
Essential Job Responsibilities:
Program Implementation & Coordination:
Product Development Support:
Capacity Building & Technical Assistance:
Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E):
Gender & Social Inclusion:
Stakeholder Engagement:
Digital Financial Services:
Outreach & Communication:
Security
· Work closely with the country team’s security focal point to ensure communication strategy and products promote and maintain the safety and security of all team members.
· Ensure that communication activities are designed and implemented with a clear analysis and understanding of security.
· Adhere to Mercy Corps’ safe communication policy and other safeguarding principles with respect to communication.
Organizational Learning
· As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient, and relevant to the communities they serve, we empower all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.
Accountability to Program Participants
· Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring, and evaluation of our field projects.
Competencies:
Supervisory Responsibility
None
Accountability
Reports Directly To: Program Manager
Works Directly With: Business Development Advisor, Country MEAL Manager, GEDSI Coordinator, Knowledge Management and Learning Coordinator, Program Communication Leads, Program Team Leads, Field Officers and other relevant Mercy Corps Somalia staff
Success Factors
The successful Communication and Reporting Specialist candidate will have the ability to work independently, take initiative in tasks and self-learning, and be proactive in communications and the development of professional relationships. Successful Mercy Corps team members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and challenging environments, and make effective written and verbal communication a priority. Should be able to live and work closely with a diverse team of individuals in a highly intense and fluid work and security environment with demonstrated sensitivity to the people and issues in Somalia and the region. A sense of humor, a team mentality, and a positive nature are highly desirable.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.
We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening, and evolving to become more diverse, equitable, and inclusive than we are today.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Mercy Corps is an equal-opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have a sustained global impact. We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work. We strongly encourage qualified female candidates to apply
Safeguarding & Ethics
Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants, or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary-General and IASC and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to the Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct e-learning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.
All interested candidates are encouraged to apply for this position and submit their applications (cover letter, updated CV, and contacts of 5 professional referees) through https://www.mercycorps.org/careers/national by referring to the job title (Program Officer) only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Latest on January 18,2025 at 5PM